This week we welcome Kathy Harris to Author Memories.

Kathy Harris is an author by way of a "divine detour" into the Nashville entertainment business. After graduating with a degree in Communications from Southern Illinois University, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to work with a well-known gospel music quartet. Her transition to writer is way too interesting to squeeze in here, so I've added it below.Kathy lives near Nashville with her husband and their two Shiloh Shepherd dogs.

Drive Thru ChickenBy Kathy Harris

Thanks to my dad’s love of storytelling, I have a greater appreciation for my roots. Ever since I can remember, he has loved telling tales. And now that he’s older, I hear more about the mischievous side of his younger days.

When he grew up in the 1940s, life was a lot different than today. Conveniences were limited. “Fast food” meant leftovers. There were no McDonalds. No Wendy’s. No KFC. Like most rural Midwestern families after the Depression, my grandparents raised their children on the basics. Beans, potatoes and biscuits. They grew their own vegetables, picked berries and fruit from the yard, and raised their own meat. Beef was a special treat. They ate pork tenderloin only once a year at Thanksgiving, and fried chicken was reserved for Sundays and special occasions.

Dad with his 1933 Ford coupe.

Despite limited means, boys will find a way to be boys, and my dad always managed to drive a fast car. His first one, a jet black 1933 Ford Coupe, had a rumble seat and a beautiful leather interior. Although it was a decade old when he bought it, he loved that car, probably more than any new vehicle he purchased later in life. He tells a lot of stories about the fun he and his friends had in it. And, in fact, it was the car he had when he courted my mom—and she tells a few stories of her own.

Dad with his 1935 Ford coupe

Daddy’s ’33 Ford had a Flathead V-8 engine and would max out at about 80 mph. Interestingly, the Fisher family, who lived around the corner, were often the benefactors of that horsepower. If you know anything about chickens, you know they usually wander out of their pens into the adjoining barn lot or yard. The Fishers’ house was built close to the smooth, shale rock road that ran in front of their house, and their chickens would often meander into the roadway. As the story goes, those slow moving chickens had a hard time getting out of the way when my dad came flying over the hill.

Evidently that wasn’t such a bad thing. My dad found out a few years ago that the Fisher kids looked forward to seeing him coming up the road, because it usually meant they would be having fried chicken for supper that night.

Although the “drive-thru” hadn’t been invented in the 1940’s, thanks to my dad it was just around the corner for the Fisher family. Or, at least, that’s how the story goes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~GIVEAWAY!Leave a comment with a valid email address by midnight, Sept 2, 2012to be entered in a draw for a copy of Kathy Harris' debut novel,THE ROAD TO MERCY.

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THE ROAD TO MERCYby Kathy Harris, Abingdon Press, Sep 2012

Josh Harrison, a contemporary Christian singer, and his wife Bethany face a difficult decision that also tests their faith. A rupture in Beth's carotid artery leaves her on the brink of death even as she's pregnant with their first child. While Dr. Ben Abrams urges her to terminate the pregnancy to save her own life, she and Josh step out on faith and decide to carry the baby to full term.

During the next few months, Josh struggles with his faith, Beth hides a secret that may destroy their marriage. She also discovers a decades-old connection to Dr. Abrams that could change his life forever.

More about Kathy Harris:

Kathy Harris is an author by way of a "divine detour" into the Nashville entertainment business. After graduating with a Communications degree from Southern Illinois University, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to work with a well-known gospel music quartet. A few months later, The Oak Ridge Boys began their transition into country music, and Kathy had the opportunity to help build an entertainment empire from the ground up.She worked her way to becoming a member of the Operations Management Team, eventually heading up the company's public relations and marketing department. A lifelong fascination for books and editing led to her working as a book agent for Oak Ridge Boys' vocalist Joe Bonsall. Joe subsequently published four books, including his bestselling inspirational biography, G.I. Joe & Lillie.For several years, Kathy freelanced entertainer biographies and wrote, as well as ghost wrote, news stories and columns for various music publications. In 2007, she sold her first Christian non-fiction story, "Walk on Water," which was included in Thomas Nelson's All My Bad Habits I Learned from Grandpa. That fall, one of her devotions was included in The One Year Life Verse Devotional, published by Tyndale House. Kathy's writing is also included in Chicken Soup for the Soul Thanks, Mom.

An active member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the publicity officer for Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, Kathy lives near Nashville with her husband and their two Shiloh Shepherd dogs. She regularly interviews literary and music guests on her blog, www.DivineDetour.com.For more about Kathy, check her website at http://kathyharrisbooks.com/index.html

We're still in the first month of Noah and Ethel's courtship and this week it's Noah's turn to write. However, there's a problem... I only have page one of Noah's letter. I've searched every paper and corner of Ethel's box of treasures and can't find a page 2 anywhere. It crossed my mind not to post this letter, but since Noah is on his way from Ontario back home to Saskatchewan since the courtship started, I felt it was important to let you know in his own words how he's doing.

First Class Accomodation for the Travelling Public Heated by Steam and Lighted by ElectricityReturn Call Electric Bell System

Mentioned in the letter: - Uncle Stephen (Stephen Draper in North Gwillimbury?)- Uncle Frank (George Franklin Terry in North Gwillimbury?)- Irean/Irene in Toronto ?- Flora and Herbert in Toronto ?

Regina, Sask. Feb. 24 1911

Miss, E. Nelson,Belhaven, Ont.Dear Ethel;- Well Ethel it is a week today since I bidyou good bye. & it seems like a month. Got overto Uncle Stephens in time for tea & was there untilleight oclock Saturday morning, then I went overto Uncle Franks and caught the one oclock car* toToronto. Was in Toronto untill 8 am. Monday was down to the Princess* Saturaday night, with Irean hada good time, Sunday I was over to Floras & Herbertshad a fine time, Then Monday Morning caughtthe train for Chicago got in there about 15 to ten &left at 10:15 for St Paul. got there about 10 a.m. andwas in the city untill 5 p.m. I saw all the sights, Ha. Ha.)Caught train for Winnipeg & got there at 8.45 a.m. wasdown through Eatons & then caught train for Reginaat 10.25. Winnipeg is a fine city and is growing veryfast building permits for 1911 will amount to overeighteen million dollars what do you think of thatfor one years growth. Got in Regina at 11.45 Last night & went rightto bed & I can tell you I was glad of the chancefor I can not sleep very well on the train

And that's it...however, this letter mentions 2 things I've marked with an asterisk * that I'd like to comment on:* the Princess - The Princess Theatre on King Street - known simply as The Princess - hosted many celebrated entertainers in its time.

The Princess Theatre in 1930, The City of Toronto archive photo courtesy of www.skyscraper.com

*the car - the Toronto and York Radial Railway ran a streetcar from Toronto north through Newmarket (15 miles away) and then Keswick, and up to Sutton. Belhaven is north of Keswick.

Toronto and York Radial Railway at the Keswick Station, ca 1910. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Genealogy Notes

Noah has taken the southern route through the U.S. to get from Belhaven to Regina:

Why did Noah take the southern route when the Transcontinental Railway across Canada had been opened since 1885? From his letter, Noah sounds like a tourist who's never travelled to Chicago or St. Paul which implies this wasn't his normal route. Was this the shorter route because of the rocky and muskeg Canadian Shield geography which makes up most of Northwestern Ontario? Or was there another reason?We are still researching the names mentioned in this letter. Hopefully, Ethel's response will give more information on them. However, the next 1911 Courtship letter is dated Feb 27th and is another one from Noah to Ethel. Stay tuned...

This week we welcome Ruth Axtell to Author Memories.

Ruth Axtell has loved stories set in the 19th century ever since she read Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre and other 19th century classics in junior and senior school. Like many romance writers, Ruth decided to write her own in order to read the kind of story she liked best. Ruth has published 13 historical romances under the name Ruth Axtell Morren. Currently, Ruth lives on the downeast coast of Maine with her three children and two rescue cats. She enjoys the challenge of vegetable and flower gardening in a cool, foggy climate, long walks along the Maine coast, reading, watching British period dramas like Downton Abbey, and doing historical research for her novels.

Names and family histories are interesting things. Here in New England, we have some pretty old gravestones in the local cemetery. It’s a shame to see many of the stones falling over after each winter. Many are covered in lichen, the inscriptions so worn they are hardly legible.

Neglected Headstones, New England, photo by Ruth Axtell

But it’s a great place to find historical names when one is writing about the area in the 1800s. For one of my first published books, Wild Rose, I found my heroine’s name, Geneva, off one of these gravestones. I pretended it was short for Genevieve.

Geneva, photo by Ruth Axtell

This past spring, my father died at the ripe old age of 100. My brother and I had not been to the family plot in Connecticut since we were teenagers, so we hardly even knew where it was. But when we went there for the funeral, I was fascinated to read the names of my father’s forefathers on his mother’s side: Hopsons, Cornwalls and Hubbells—all solid English names.

On my next trip I visited another family plot where my grandfather’s side of the family is buried. These were Pattersons (a surname I used in Wild Rose, making my heroine Geneva Patterson).

Here in this part of Maine, there are some names that hark back to the founding of this village back in the 1700s: Cates, Maker, Ackley, Corbett are some of the surnames that appear on many gravestones.

Obed Cates, photo by Ruth Axtell

Many times a man had both his wives listed, so you could tell he’d been widowed. Others had a few lines of verse denoting their sadness in their departed loved ones but hopes for an eventual reunion in Heaven and rest from their earthly toils.

Headstone Verses, photo by Ruth Axtell

Asleep in Jesus! Blessed sleep, From which none ever wake to weep! A calm and undisturbed repose, Unbroken by the last of foes.

Many of the tombstones not only listed the age of the departed one in years, but in years, months and days! I was amazed to see two who had died in the 1830s who’d lived to 90 and another to 86. There must have been something in the water! More common were deaths in people’s twenties, thirties, or sixties (in the mid-1800s). Some were children’s gravestones.

90 years, 7 months, 21 days. Photo by Ruth Axtell

It’s fascinating to think about these many lives before us. People who walked these same roads (rutted horse tracks back then, I’m sure) or sailed the seas I see out my kitchen window. They must have been quite hardy and long suffering.

What are some of the thoughts old cemeteries and gravestone inscriptions invoke for you?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~GIVEAWAY!Leave a comment with a valid email address by midnight, Aug 19thto be entered in a draw for a copy of

Ruth Axtell's new Historical Romance, Her Good Name.

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Her Good NameMoody River North, Aug 2012

1890 - MaineIn the 1890 thriving coastal town of Holliston, Maine, the leading lumber baron's son, Warren Brentwood, III, returns from his years away at college and traveling to take up his position as heir apparent to his father's business empire. Esperanza Estrada is the daughter of a Portuguese immigrant fisherman who has grown up surrounded by a brood of brothers and sisters and a careworn mother. Unable to pretend she is anything but "one of those Estradas," Espy has no chance with Warren, no matter how striking she is. When she overhears of a position to clean house at a local professor's home on Elm Street, she jumps at the opportunity, hoping to be able to run into Warren Brentwood now and again as well as to imbibe the cultural and intellectual atmosphere of the Stocktons.

When rumors about Espy and this respected, married gentleman of the community begin to circulate, the entire church congregation and then the community pronounce judgment on her behavior. The man Espy is in love with, Warren, believes the lie and his loss of faith in her causes Espy to give up without a fight. She leaves her family and hometown for the nearest city with little money and no acquaintances and is forced to spend the night on the street. A man who heads a mission for the homeless finds Espy and offers her shelter. Espy finds the true love of God while working at the mission. Will she be able to forgive the townspeople and return home?Sample Excerpt

More about Ruth:It was a long road to publishing, a journey as much spiritual as dependent on learning the craft of writing. Ruth studied comparative literature at Smith College with a concentration in French and English literature, and spent her junior year in Paris. After college, she spent a year in the Canary Islands as an au pair. Shortly after coming back to the U.S., she committed her life to Christ. Fourteen years later, she committed her writing to Him. Since then she has lived in the Netherlands and on the coast of Maine.

She was a Golden Heart finalist in 1994. Her second published book, Wild Rose, was a Booklist “Top Ten Christian Fiction” selection in 2005. Her books have been translated into Dutch, Italian, Polish, Czech and Afrikaans. She is a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), RWA (Romance Writers of America) and its local Maine chapter. Her Good Name, a historical romance set on the 1890s Maine coast, from River North/Moody Publishers will be her first book under Ruth Axtell. In March 2013, Moonlight Masquerade, a regency romance set in London, will be out with Baker/Revell Books.

Well, I suppose you areon your way home by this time.and rejoicing to think you will soon be home once more. Hope your motherwon't think we have made youworse than you really were. ha ha.Although I would'nt care if shewere to send you back East again.

Did you have to walkall the way over to your UncleFrank's! I guess you would be readyfor your nights rest when you got there.Suppose Mrs Perrault give you apiece of her mind not going overthe night befor.

2.

Well I hope you got home safe,and that you were not delayedin anyway. Ma has not come home yet. Sadie and Christie have gone to Sunday School. I am stayinghome to keep Pa company. (I'm notmuch company Just now I guess)To day is his birthday. I have'nt saw Mr Perraultssince you left. Suppose theyhave left these parts too. Sadie said to tell you nexttime you came, she wantedto say good-bye when youwent away. to teach. *

*to teach - continues a sentence from page 3 when the notepaper is fully opened.

3.

Sadie said she looked foryou on the car Friday morning.Suppose while I am writingyou are riding on the train.and I believe you have thebest to do. It would not beso lonesome. Did you meetwith anyone on the train thatyou were acquainted with? Willie Sedore is to bemarried a week from next Wednesday. What do you thinkabout it? I think we will be goingup to church tonight. I don't knowwho will preach. Sadie had a card fromVeda. Veda says she is to go West*to teach

*to teach is actually written on bottom of Page 2

4.

Well Noah you said you werea poor letter writer, but Ithink I am no better. anyway itwill let you know I amthinking of you. My thots foryou are not only while I amwriting, but all the time. I'll be patient to write and towait until the time comeswhen we won't have towrite. And now I think I willhave to say Good-Bye, and takea walk down to Mr Young's afterS. School is out. And Noah youwrite, Love from Ethel.Ethel Nelson Belhaven, Ont.XXXX XXXXXXX x x x x x x

So, did you get that hint on page 3 when Ethel mentions that Willie Sedore is getting married and asks Noah what he thinks about it? If I didn't know they were courting already, that question would have shown her intentions, for sure. Ha ha. As it is, page 4 clearly shows her affection for Noah and her wish that they could be together. The next courtship letter between Ethel and Noah will be dated Feb 24th and will be posted in 2 weeks - after a post and giveaway by historical author, Ruth Axtell.

Genealogy notes:Do you recall the letter to Ethel from the mysterious Norah Donalda in 1910: A Letter From Norah Donalda? Well just a couple days ago - 4 wks after the post was published - I received a very brief comment from the grandson of Nora Donalda. Perhaps I'll discover who the people are in Nora's letter now. What a blessing!